Taiwanese-American Organizations Call For Medical Parole For Former President Chen Shui-bian

In a letter dated 11 November 2014, ten Taiwanese American organizations sent a letter to Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou calling for the release on medical parole of former president Chen Shui-bian.

The organizations write: “While the Republic of China just celebrated the 103rd anniversary of its founding in China in 1911, the democratically elected former president of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian, is languishing in a Taichung jail. As a matter of fact, today, on November 11 it has been 6 years since Chen was sent to jail.”

They add: “Chen’s physical and psychological health has declined steadily over the years culminating in several suicide attempts due to severe depression. Attending doctors from Veterans Hospital in Taichung and medical experts at the Academia Sinica therefore recommended this past summer that Chen be released from jail on medical parole.”

“Concerns over President Chen’s incarceration have been raised on a number of occasions over the past years by members of Congress (U.S. Congressman Steve Chabot has repeatedly said it best: “Enough is enough.”) as well as by international scholars. However, your administration has been totally unresponsive to these international calls.”

“Additionally, over the years, the accusations against Chen of having violated the law have been found to have no merit. Case in point: as recent as this past August, the ROC Special Investigation Division said it had found no evidence in the “Palau Affair”, in which Chen was accused of money-laundering.”

“Chen was also found not guilty recently of misusing the State Affairs Fund and embezzling funds used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to conduct diplomacy.”

They conclude: “[T]he joint Taiwanese American organizations urge you to grant medical parole to Chen, so that he can receive adequate treatment at home for his medical conditions.”

Mark Kao, Ph.D. the President of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), which initiated the joint statement, states: “That a democratically elected former head of state is treated in such a deplorable manner by a sitting government is clearly in violation of the values of democracy and human rights that we in the U.S. hold high.”

Dr. Kao concludes: “Chen’s continued physical and psychological deterioration is an ongoing human rights nightmare for Chen and for Taiwan as a country. The Taiwan authorities need to understand that Chen’s imprisonment is severely damaging the international image of Taiwan as a free and democratic nation.”

President Ma Ying-jeou November 11, 2014
Office of the President
Taipei, Taiwan

Dear President Ma:

While the Republic of China just celebrated the 103rd anniversary of its founding in China in 1911, the democratically elected former president of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian, is languishing in a Taichung jail. As a matter of fact, today, on November 11 it has been 6 years since Chen was sent to jail.

Because Chen’s dire situation is of grave concern to us Taiwanese Americans, we hereby urge you to grant Chen medical parole allowing him to recuperate at home amongst his family members.

After Chen’s imprisonment in November 2008, international observers, including former Harvard Law Professor Jerome Cohen, identified multiple lapses in due process and other serious procedural flaws by the prosecution during Chen’s trial in 2009 and in 2010.

Meanwhile, Chen was confined virtually 24 hours a day to a damp, undersized prison cell in the Taoyuan County jail of about 50 square ft, with no bed, desk or chair but with a cellmate. After an international outcry, Chen was transferred to a new prison in Taichung in 2013.

Chen’s physical and psychological health has declined steadily over the years culminating in several suicide attempts due to severe depression. Attending doctors from Veterans Hospital in Taichung and medical experts at the Academia Sinica therefore recommended this past summer that Chen be released from jail on medical parole.

Concerns over President Chen’s incarceration have been raised on a number of occasions over the past years by members of Congress (U.S. Congressman Steve Chabot has repeatedly said it best: “Enough is Enough.”) as well as by international scholars. However, your administration has been totally unresponsive to these international calls.

Additionally, over the years, the accusations against Chen of having violated the law have been found to have no merit. Case in point: as recent as this past August, the ROC Special Investigation Division said it had found no evidence in the “Palau Affair”, in which Chen was accused of money-laundering.

Chen was also found not guilty recently of misusing the State Affairs Fund and embezzling funds used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to conduct diplomacy.

Finally, more than 60 percent of respondents in a poll held last week in Taiwan, support the idea of allowing Chen to receive medical treatment at home and many find it unacceptable that your government refuses to grant this.

Therefore, again, the joint Taiwanese American organizations urge you to grant medical parole to Chen, so that he can receive adequate treatment at home for his medical conditions.